UPDATE - Moscow ‘ready’ to help resolve Gulf crisis

ADDS QATAR FM REMARKS ON TRUMP'S TERROR ACCUSATIONS

By Hakan Ceyhan Aydogan

MOSCOW (AA) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov expressed on Saturday his concerns over the recent diplomatic row over Qatar, saying that Moscow will try its best to help resolve the crisis.

Lavrov spoke at a joint press conference with his Qatari counterpart Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Moscow five days after the diplomatic crisis began.

"We, as a matter of policy, do not interfere with either home affairs of other countries or with their bilateral relations,” Lavrov was quoted as saying by Russia's official TASS news agency.

“However, we cannot be pleased with the situation, where these relations between our counterparts are aggravating.”

On Monday, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Bahrain cut diplomatic ties with Qatar, accusing Doha of supporting terrorism.

Saudi Arabia has also closed its land borders with Qatar, geographically isolating the tiny Gulf state.

Lavrov said that Moscow was ready to do everything “in the interest of the involved parties” to help resolve the diplomatic crisis.

- Direct dialogue

"Only by means of direct dialogue is it possible to better understand each other’s concerns, to consider ways to overcome those concerns, to have transparency in all issues," he added.

“It is important to see beyond the events the main thing -- and the main threat both for the region’s country and beyond the region, we believe, is terrorism."

Lavrov also called on the Arab League, Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), and all the countries inside or outside the region to unite in order to resolve the row.

Qatar has strenuously denied accusations that it is a supporter of terrorism.

The aim of his visit was to inform Russia about the recent “unjustified” steps taken against Qatar, al Thani told reporters.

Al Thani said Qatar believes that all the disputes can be resolved through dialogue and that the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (CCASG) is the best platform for a solution.

In his statement, the Qatari diplomat also thanked all the Russian firms which have offered help to overcome the crisis.

- Trump's terror accusation

Al Thani later told in a TV interview in Moscow that U.S. President Donald Trump listened other countries' false views claiming Qatar is supporting terrorism.

"It was strange that Trump's statements were based on the views of the presidents of countries that took a political stance against Qatar," he stated.

Qatari minister also stressed that they spent great efforts in fight against terrorism in cooperation with U.S. administration and other partner governments.

His response came after Trump's comment on Friday who said: "... the time had come to call on Qatar to end its funding, they have to end that funding, and its extremist ideology in terms of funding.”

Al Thani also said that the campaign of the neighboring countries against Qatar "shocked us," stating that it was first initiated in the media before the measures and based on fabricated reports following the cyber attack on Qatar News Agency QNA.